Everything Rivetra
by Dreams Of A Shipper
Summary: Rivetra one shots! Because they are fantastic and one of my favourite couples EVER! No spoilers so far, but I will put at the start of the one shot if there is! :) Rated T for safety. Ps Chapter/one shot titles aren't great, may change!
1. No Peace In Slumber

One Shot no.1:

Hey guys! :) So this is the first one shot in this mini series of Ri-vents ;). I decided to just do lots of little fluff pieces because I love these two so much! :)

Hope you all enjoy, I'll be adding more as I go! :)

* * *

Sunlight filtered down in dapples through the broken canopy of trees above Petra as she spun and swung and flew along on her ODM gear.

She loved the feeling, like flying but more, being able to glide along then suddenly whistle into action and shoot and turn on a cent and rip into a Titan before it knew what had happened.

So when up ahead of her she saw such a beast, her heart thrummed a little faster in anticipation and she gathered herself for zoning in on the kill.

However, as she started to gather herself, Petra saw her fellow Squad Levi member, Eld Jinn, move in as well.

Watching her tall, blonde friend, she waited to see if he needed help. His expert manoeuvring was flawless and the caramel haired woman was about to turn when the Titan out of nowhere got the upper hand.

It swatted its giant meaty hand out at an impossible angle and caught Eld as he was swinging around to go for the neck, squeezing as it drew him to eye level.

"No! Eld!" Petra screamed and shot forwards to aid him.

...Only, no matter how fast or hard she tried to reach him, her grappling hooks sank into the same two trees, swung her in an endless cycle in the same little cove she'd started in.

"What the hell? What is this?" She yelled in frustration.

There was no moving forwards, no reaching Eld and she had to watch in horror as her friend was swallowed whole right in front of her.

No!

Petra felt her body freeze in shock and a cold sensation washed all over her.

What was this insanity?

To her left, a call for help snagged her attention, and brunette haired Günter Schultz was battling wildly against an 8 metre Titan.

It had him suspended by one of his wires on his gear, spinning him on the end of it like a toy.

Why was a Titan doing something so... deliberately toying?

"I'm coming, Günter!" Petra called out to him and shot off at a hurried pace.

Once again though, she got nowhere, no matter how fast she flew, staying the same distance she started at.

"No, no, no!" She screamed out as, finished playing cat and mouse, the Titan lifted it's deformed arm, holding her team mate dangling above its mouth.

With a deliberate opening of its fingers, down it dropped Günter and there was another of her Squad gone.

Tears sprung forth as Petra once again had to hang and watch her friend die.

This wasn't real, it was a nightmare.. It had to be.

Movement caught her eye and when Petra turned behind her, she felt a nauseous swell in her stomach.

How could this be happening?

Large trees surrounded the Abnormal Titan who was standing twisting and grinding it's foot down on the fast fading form of Aurou Bossard.

His strangled, gargling moans reached Petra's ears and she couldn't stand it, couldn't look, knowing she couldn't help.

So she covered her ears and crushed shut her eyes, willing this horrible image to be gone.

Tears were still silently pouring down her face when she defeatedly let her hands fall from her ears, opening her eyes to reveal Aurou and the Titan were gone.

The forest was still and Petra sighed in relief as she could finally take a breath.

Suddenly, a figure appeared ahead of her again, only this time it was the familiar shape of Captain Levi, calling to her.

"Petra! We're needed ahead, some soldiers are being swarmed. Come on, get your ass in motion!"

"Yes, sir!" She called back, following suit.

Except, the more they launched forwards, the more she got left behind.

"Captain! Wait!" The caramel haired soldier's desperate call echoed and bounced back to Petra's own ears, sounding foreign and not echoing properly, ringing before suddenly cutting off, then sounding again, further away and from all directions.

It happened in slow motion - from behind two bordering trees, right before a clearing, two hands simultaneously shot out from either side and the two Titans plucked Levi right out of the air.

"Captain! No!" Petra battered and pulled and swung and smacked at and with her gear, cursing the faulty thing to the ends of the earth.

Battle cries drove through her skull as Levi fought ferociously, trying to free his left arm and right leg from them both.

He sliced with his blades, Titan blood steaming around him, but not from places that mattered.

Nothing he did loosened their death grips and the two beast looked at each other before they started to pull.

Petra thought she was going to lose her mind, not being able to look away from this one.

Screams and pleas tore from her throat, leaving it raspy and raw.

With a sickening, wet crack, the Titans gave one final heave and tore her Captain in two.

Blood poured and sloshed out of each half, staining the forest floor crimson.

Petra was shaking uncontrollably and her stomach was roiling.

They... They were all gone.

Dead.

And she could do nothing to stop it.

One of the Titans that had ripped Levi in half turned to look at her and it was one of those creepy damn grinning ones.

It's eyes stared at her and it was all she could do not to stare, knowing she had no escape.

The grin was as unnerving as watching her friends deaths and she felt another scream build in her throat.

Before she could, before she could move, her vision was filled with straw coloured hair, then the giant, round eyes of a Titan as it rose up right in front of her, only inches from the immobilised soldier.

There was no time to scream, no time to try pointless flight.

As it cavernous mouth opened wide, the smell of blood and death wafting out in hot waves, Petra felt her muscles lock, hands gripping her blades in desperate comfort that she could slice the Titans mouth up so much on her way in, it would rear back in pain and she'd somehow be free of her paralysis.

No such thing happened, she had no control of her body and all she could do was let silent tears continue to fall down her face as the Titan loomed closer, ever closer and now she could FEEL the huge mouth surrounding her on its descent.

Darkness, damp, sickening darkness greeted her and as she landed on the tongue, she felt it roll as she was swallowed whole like Eld and Günter.

The scream finally ripped through her as she fell down the throat and then she was falling, falling, falling into an endless cavern.

That's when Petra mercifully awoke, her body giving a slight jump and a small gasp.

Her eyes frantically adjusted to the familiar darkness in her chambers, back inside the Walls and their current base.

Her breath trembled out of her body quietly and her limbs had a fine sheen of sweat on them.

That had been so real and hauntingly, terrifyingly, possible.

She lay perfectly still for a second in her bed, heart thrumming painfully.

Firmly telling herself it wasn't real, she closed her eyes harshly at the image of them all being slaughtered. The image of Levi being ripped in two particularly stuck in her head and she tried to slam it away.

Opening her eyes again, Petra tentatively reached out from under the covers and ran her fingers gently over the defined muscles and random scars on the exposed back in front of her.

"Same one?" Levi's voice came softly over his shoulder.

He always woke at even her slightest jolt, not that he minded - he still slept better with her nightmares than he did all those years of sleeping alone.

"Yeah. Same one," Petra confirmed with a tortured sigh, her fingers still trailing over Levi's back.

With a rustle of the covers, Levi turned in the bed and she was now looking into his onyx eyes.

"You ok?"

"Mmhmm," she nodded, looking to where their hands had automatically found each other's.

Pressing her fingertips against his, Petra looked up into her Captain's eyes.

It was strange, how different they looked at night than during the day.

For instance, the steely gaze, in colour and tone, was shuttered and incalculable during the day when he was purely her Captain and she his subordinate.

Now, laying next to each other as lovers, as equals, Levi's stormy eyes held only a sleepy contentedness and concern for her.

"It's fine. It's just a nightmare," she smiled fleetingly at him, reaching her hand up once again to let her fingers fall gently across his cheek.

Capturing her hand under his, Levi kissed her palm, eyes never leaving hers.

There was still a slight tremor in her touch and he wished he could go into her nightmares and stop them from haunting her supposedly peaceful slumber.

He couldn't, so instead, he gently tugged her closer and tucked her against him, feeling the damp chill from her skin against his.

Giving a sigh, Petra nestled against him, her face resting in he crook of his neck, his arm wound around her waist, a comforting anchor against the dark thoughts.

The room was once more filled with only the sounds of their breathing, Petra's now even and calm.

After a few seconds, however, her eyes opened of their own accord and Petra couldn't quiet her brain to sleep again.

What if she were to ever be as useless as in her nightmares? Not, obviously, stuck in the one spot, but still not able to save any of her team mates?

She never let her gender be an issue, she trained as hard as everyone else, but it was a known fact that, due to muscle mass/density etc, men were usually physically stronger.

Should she be training more, trying to close that gap? Maybe then she'd have less to worry about, her nightmares might plague her less?

This could be her brains way of telling her that was something she needed to watch or was unconsciously worrying about.

Well, she wasn't going to ignore such a possibility.

Knowing Levi wouldn't be asleep yet, it had only been a minute since they fell silent, she voiced her thoughts. If he knew of her plans, her worried, he'd make sure she saw it through, got the time to do so.

"I think I need to put in some more training time... Build up my muscles more," she said softly into his throat, where he still had her tucked into him.

There was a beat of silence and she felt him suck in a slight breath.

"Petra."

She practically hear the scepticism in his voice.

"You do not need to train more than you already are. You don't think I'd be pushing you more if I thought you weren't up to scratch?"

"Well... No, I suppose not, but-"

"No, no 'but' no 'supposing'. Sometimes things happen, things we can't foresee or predict. That's why I train you all to expect those moments, to be on high alert. Which, all of you naturally do, anyway. It's one of the reasons I picked you all," Levi deep voice and calming, sure words were like a soothing balm to her jangled nerves.

Levi was definitely not one to bull or lie to comfort someone, not the guys, not even her, who'd he'd secretly been seeing for a year or so now.

So she knew she could trust his assurance.

"...Alright," she agreed softly, smiling into the little dip between his collar bones.

"I swear, if I find you until all hours training yourself into the ground, Petra, I'll throw you over my shoulder and tie you to this bed," Levi grumbled, his voice becoming heavy with sleep.

"Hmm, maybe I should do that then," she teased, trailing the tips of her fingers across his arm.

"Behave yourself," Levi smirked.

"Maybe you'll have to make me?" Came the challenge and Levi pulled back to look down at the innocent expression on Petra's face.

"Is that a direct act of insubordination, soldier?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Hell, yes," Petra scoffed, poking him on the shoulder.

"Oh. Now you're asking for it!"

Petra could barely conceal the squeak from her throat as, in a flash, Levi was straddling her, his dark gaze above her now.

"I hope you're ready for your punishment, Ms. Ral?"

"Bring it on, Captain."

It was a while later when the two were finally drifting off to sleep again and this time time, wrapped up in Levi's arms, Petra's dreams were filled with nothing but sweet things.


	2. Red Handed

One Shot no.2:

The heavy wooden door creaked, betraying Petra as she tried to enter silently.

She hissed between her teeth, glaring at the door as if she could make it aware of her annoyance.

Closing it as fluidly and quietly as possible, she gave a tired sigh, turning to pad softly down the hall.

If she was lucky and the guys weren't up yet, she could get in a quick power nap to get her through the day.

Her head lightly throbbed and her stomach had that hollow, churning feel to it that her mind associated with alcohol - way too much alcohol. She knew she needed some sleep or she'd be found passed out snoring in the middle of chores.

She was passing the small dining hall when a sudden voice made her jump, jolting her already sore head.

"Petra Ral!"

Turning slowly, she saw, much to her horror, all four of her squad mates sitting around the table.

Including the Captain.

Fantastic.

It was Eld who had called to her and was grinning knowingly at her.

"Is this... It couldn't possibly be a... Walk of shame could it?" He made a fake look of disappointment, Günter and Aurou chuckling into their breakfast.

Now her hopes of sneaking in were dashed, Petra heaved another sigh and went to join them.

"Petra, I didn't know you had it in you," Aurou raised his eyebrows with a cheeky grin.

"Oh, shut up. Of course it's not a walk of shame," she scolded her friends, sliding into the empty chair and resting her head on her hand.

"That's right, it's not shameful, wear it proudly instead, Petra."

Aurou was fast looking for a slap to go with his cereal.

"Stop," she warned him.

"Did you pass out in the bathroom?" Günter asked in a mock sympathetic voice.

"Or in a bush somewhere?" Eld chimed in again. "Or maybe it is a walk of shame and you're just denying it so we don't think any different of you."

"No, no and for the last time, no! What do you people take me for? Ugh, you're the worst. I ran into some of my old trainee friends and we drank... everything," she admitted, rubbing her face wearily.

The three men laughed, Levi rolled his eyes and continued to read the papers in his hand.

"Thanks, by the way. You guys just disappeared last night. Where did you go?" She frowned accusingly at them.

"We decided to head back before too much alcohol was consumed. We didn't want to feel how you look this morning," Günter smirked, earning himself a withering scowl.

"You could have at least told me. Instead, you abandoned me! I thought we were supposed to be team mates?" Shaking her head at them, she pinched Eld's mug of coffee from beside her, knowing he took his the same as she did.

"Hey! Get your own," he grabbed it mid gulp, nearly causing her to dribble it down her chin. "Besides, you were looking pretty comfy with that Garrison soldier, we didn't want to interrupt anything," he smiled knowingly.

Petra felt herself tense slightly, eyes flitting to the Captain as she laughed it off to the boys. She saw his gaze very slightly snap up before he stopped himself, a frown etched in his forehead.

No one else noticed the two of their reactions, continuing to focus on their food.

"Him? No, no. We were just chatting," she waved it off, getting up to leave the conversation before it got worse.

"Oh, she's running away! Must have been more than chatting if you're fleeing," Aurou gave a suggestive eyebrow waggle.

"I'm leaving because I don't want to listen to anymore of your awful presumptions and character judgements," she grumbled, leaving the three men smirking and Levi staring too intently at his papers.

A couple of hours later, Petra had managed to sneak in a half hour nap after she'd showered and grabbed food and coffee. She was feeling more herself as she knocked on the Captain's door.

"Come in," his smooth, dark voice called out in its usual bored tone.

Opening the door, she smiled briefly at him as he glanced up before returning to his work.

"Hey, Captain,"she greeted breezily, closing the door behind her.

"Missed you last night," he stated without looking up from what he was writing.

Petra went around to his side of the desk, casually sitting up on the edge.

"I know, sorry, I couldn't help catching up with the gang. You know how important it is to take those opportunities," she said as she leant forward and down to brush a kiss on his lips.

He kissed back, giving her leg a rub before scrawling with his pen again.

"Mm hmm. Have fun?"

"Yeah, it was great seeing them. Although, it wasn't fun hearing about all those who didn't make it this far," grimacing, she picked up a file and flicked through it absently.

"You should have come, the festival is always fun. And I wouldn't have missed you then," she smiled seductively at him.

He gave a huff of laughter and closed the now-finished file, getting up to walk over to his cabinet. The case groaned as he opened it to retrieve a different file.

"Yeah, then I could have kept you away from drunk Garrison soldiers," he raised an eyebrow at her as he came back to stand at the desk.

"Oh please," she rolled her golden eyes at him, leaning back on her hands. "Like I could be tempted by any man when I knew you were in bed waiting for me."

"Cocky, are we?" Grey eyes flashed with amusement.

Laughing, she shook her head at him affectionately.

"Not cocky. Just relying on past experiences... Or am I wrong to presume?" She glanced up at him from under long lashes.

"Petra," he lowered an eyebrow at her with a scornful tone.

"So then do I have the right to be just a bit cocky?"

Growling, he placed his hands either side of her hips on the table leaning in so their faces were centimetres apart.

"Yes, you do," he sighed firmly, lips finding hers and brushing across them.

She smiled into the kiss, and wound her arms around his neck, fingers trailing over the shaved undercut and soft top locks of his hair.

He expertly manoeuvred his tongue against hers, the taste and movements so familiar to both. Petra relished the sense of closeness and the still present fireworks at his touch, even after their relationship of just over half a year.

Ending the kiss sooner than either would like, Levi snagged her bottom lip before pulling back, tucking a strand of dark honey coloured hair behind her ear.

"I have to finish these before training. I'll see you later, alright?" He feathered a last kiss on her lips before she slid off the desk.

"Yeah, no problem. See you for training."

As she reached the door, Petra opened it, checked the halls were empty and turned back before she shut the door to his office.

"Hey, Captain," she called softly back to him, his attention already buried in his work.

"What is it, Petra?" He looked up distractedly, frowning slightly at her.

"Just so you know, I'm planning on making up for you missing me last night. So you should probably make sure you get through all your paperwork. It's going to be a long night."

Smiling innocently at him, Petra saluted before closing the door behind her and heading off to work on today's chores.

In his office, Levi was still smirking by the time he finished his file.

The Captain even finished all his paperwork before training - a record, it seemed, even for him.


	3. Behind The Lines

One Shot no.3:

This one is definitely Levi being OOC, but he's been with Petra for years in this one. If he was still as closed off and stoic with her now, it'd just mean he's an emotionless robot.

We know he's not flat out emotionless - his first proper appearance is his speech to the dying soldier with Petra.

He's a super passionate person, mainly about fighting the Titans and he doesn't show it or let anyone in.

But this is already after he's gotten over that with Petra and been in a relationship with her.

SO! My point - he'd be easier going and relaxed with Petra, hence him being OOC!

...Or that's my reasoning anyway! ;)

If this doesn't fly with you, just enjoy the flurff! :)

* * *

It had been a long trip, the expedition taking far longer than expected.

As Levi traipsed wearily up the stairs of the Scout's castle, he dragged a hand over his face, rubbing sleep from his eyes.

Reaching his office door, the soft wave of the setting sun mixed with the glow from the fireplace greeted him.

"You're back," a voice as familiar as his own came from behind his heavy, wooden desk.

"Yeah, it took far longer than we'd planned for," Levi said in a heavy voice, pulling his cloak and jacket from his shoulders and hanging them on the wooden stand.

"Everything go alright?"

Sighing, Levi strolled around the desk to her side, where Petra was standing, one hand braced in the table, the other on her back.

"Fine. Just took longer," he answered as he leant in to kiss her on the cheek.

"Well, at least it's done. Now that that's out of the way, we can progress with reclaiming the next route," the caramel haired woman scratched her brow as she turned her attention back to the sprawling piles of maps, files and notes on the desk.

Levi stood beside her, following where she was showing him the next phases and notes she'd gone over while he was gone, his hand rubbing across her lower back absently.

"So, that's why we'll have to put more men on this one," Petra finished with a heavy sigh.

Levi took in the extensive planning she had put into this, how much detail and precautions she had allowed for.

Turning his gaze to her side profile, he shook his head slightly in wonder.

"What would I do without you?" He asked her quietly.

"You'd do your own damn paperwork, that's what," she grumbled half heartedly, turning her golden eyes to his briefly.

With a smirk, Levi moved his free hand to her stomach, his hand gently resting on the growing swell.

"How's our little soldier?" He asked, placing his hand above hers on her belly, their child safe under their protective watch.

"Using my bladder for combat practice, apparently," Petra sighed heavily, rolling her eyes, a tuft of hair blowing up in the air before settling back down.

"Well, at least you won't be rusty," he stepped back swiftly to avoid her batting hand, circling around his desk with an easy grin on his face.

"You're lucky I can't move very fast right now," she raised her eyebrows at him.

"Yeah, likely excuse, Petra," he stated teasingly, earning himself a withering look.

"Have you to report to Erwin now, or tomorrow?" Petra asked as she stiffly stretched her aching back,

"Tomorrow will do. I'm not riding all the way to him now, he can go screw himself," Levi frowned, walking back around to Petra and pulling the chair right behind her.

"Sit. You're exhausted," he ordered, guiding her by the shoulder to sit.

"Fine, but just for a minute," Petra groaned as she sat, her whole body under strain.

She had basically put on no weight since getting pregnant and she was quite big, her belly looking comical on her tiny frame.

Massaging her shoulders, Levi tried to help work some of the tension and knots out of her muscles.

"No, you're done for the night. Take a break, Petra. Just because you can't go out in the field doesn't mean you have to overcompensate with everything else. You'll wear yourself out," Levi warned her.

"Alight, I guess you're right," she grimaced, enjoying the methodical work of his strong fingers.

"Mmhmm. And I'm also right in saying what I think we both need is to go to bed early and rest," he rolled his eyes at himself.

They'd turned in to such an old couple.

"Sounds perfect," Petra laughed, turning to smile at him over her shoulder.

"Right, well let's go get some food first. I'm starving."

Helping her up from the chair, the expecting parents walked hand in hand out of his office, leaving behind the mountain of paperwork.

That night, Levi found himself being ripped from his slumber as Petra, who had sleeping with his arm draped her side, leapt up (Well, as fast as a heavily pregnant woman could) and ran for the wash basin on the stand across the room.

The sound of her heaving had Levi up in a second and he quickly closed the distance across the room to her.

Grimacing at the unpleasant noise of his wife unloading the contents of her stomach and the acidic smell, he placed his hand on her back and rubbed the length of her doubled over spine.

A long suffering groan came from her and she mumbled something about 'the sooner the better'.

He didn't need two guesses as to what that meant.

Hey stood for a minute and just when Petra slowly stood, a heave shook through her again and she had to bend back over the basin.

"Ugh, I'll have to get a clean basin for the morning. No way in hell am I sleeping with this in the room for the night," he made a face, squinting anywhere but down at the filthy thing.

"Levi? If you ever want to be a father again - I'd shut up. You're not helping," Petra muttered over her shoulder.

"Right. Sorry."

A few more minutes passed until Petra was sure she was ok - how could her stomach possibly hold that much, she'd reasoned - and Levi helped her back to bed before quickly disposing of the basin. (And thoroughly sanitising his hands)

When he returned, he climber into the bed behind her and propped Petra up on mound of pillows he'd managed to organise once he'd learned she was carrying his child.

Gently guiding her to lean back against his chest, he was satisfied when he had her in a sort of raised nest, her head higher much higher than her stomach to help with the nausea.

"Thank you," Petra whispered, exhausted from the physical toll of everything.

"Anything," he promised her before they both fell into a heavy sleep.

Come the next expedition, Petra's meticulous planning joined with Erwin's meant that the Scouts were heading off with a quiet confidence that this was going to be a hugely successful expedition.

As Levi fastened his cape, letting it settle down around his ODM gear, he looked over at Petra who was looking longingly at Team Levi getting ready to leave.

"It won't be long, Petra," he soothed, watching her distracted gaze come back to his.

"Yeah, well, we'll see," she sighed with a sad smile.

Levi knew Petra was dying to get back into gear, go out beyond the Wall and fight alongside her brothers again.

Yet, he also knew she was reluctant. They would be responsible for another life soon, a child at home waiting on their return.

It was incredibly risky and slightly selfish, Petra had admitted, but it was what she'd only ever wanted to do.

Levi would be more than happy if she never strapped back into her gear again, but if it made her happy, he'd make sure it happened... Maybe only surer, safer expeditions, if any such existed.

"Don't worry, Petra, they'll still be plenty of Titans to kick ass on," Eld smiled at his friend.

"Yeah, your little slugger will be so proud to see his parents go off and defend Humanity," Günter patted her shoulder as he passed.

"And if not, I'm sure there's plenty of stuff around here for you to do while we men go off and fight," the wavy haired man teased, receiving a dark look from Levi and a fake laugh from Petra.

"Aurou, come here," Petra beckoned with a smile, advancing on her team mate.

As he backed up, hands in the air and a grin plastered on his face, Eld innocently 'bumped' into him, holding Aurou's shoulders to right him as Petra managed to slap the side of his head while his attention was on Eld.

"Ow, I was just kidding!" He grumbled, rubbing where'd she hit him.

"I know, me too," Petra imitated his grin.

"You should have known better, Aurou," Günter shook his head in amusement as he went to get the horses.

"Yes, yes, I know," he sighed, following him out.

"Thanks, Eld," Petra smiled at the tall blonde as he, too, went to leave.

"Anytime," he winked, giving her shoulder a squeeze.

"We'll have the horses ready in five minutes, Captain," he added as he passed by the raven haired man.

"Thanks," Levi nodded in acknowledgment.

Once the door closed, it was only Petra and Levi left.

"You sure you're going to be ok here alone? You're due date is so close, what if you go into labour early?" Levi frowned at Petra as she came over to him.

"Levi, for the hundredth time, yes! You guys will only be gone for a day or two this time. Besides, I think Hanji mentioned something about Moblit coming over to check on me. His arms still not totally better after that break," Petra grimaced, thinking of the agony that the poor guy had been in.

Also, she was pretty sure Levi had asked Hanji to send him over and his deliberate straight stare was a give away to her.

She'd come to recognise over the years that Levi almost made it too convincing he was innocent or telling the truth.

Well, it wasn't an exact art, but she was usually right...

Sometimes...

"Well, if you feel even a twinge send a bird out with a message to him. Someone will be straight over. I've told them to be prepared," Levi said in a dark tone and Petra could only imagine some terrified soldiers jumping at every flap of a birds wings, ready to leap on a horse over to the castle.

The only reason there wasn't someone with her twenty-four hours, as Levi would have preferred was because she had told him if she had people hovering every minute of the day, she'd end up kicking them all out.

At this stage of the pregnancy, all she wanted was peace and quiet, not to be molly-coddled and hovered over.

He'd had to agree because she'd played the 'This is half your doing' routine and how could say no to his suffering wife?

Wow, she was diabolical when she wanted to be.

"Mm, I'm sure you have," Petra chuckled, reaching up to rub her thumbs across the dark shadows under Levi's eyes.

"Are you sure you're up to this? You look exhausted," she fretted.

"I can handle myself, don't worry about anything but resting," he firmly told her.

"I have to go. Promise you'll contact Moblit for anything - and I mean anything - you need?"

"Yes, Levi, I promise I will contact him. You don't worry about me, either. Focus on the task at hand."

Both of them looked at each other with worry, certain of their own situation.

"Ok. I'll be back soon," Levi tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, drinking in her tired, beautiful face.

"Alright. Be safe," Petra smiled, hands nervously chafing her stomach. "Love you."

"I love you, too," he said softly.

Placing a hand on the nape of her neck, Levi gently pulled Petra to him and kiss her long and deep, the sweet taste of her lips what was going to get him through this.

He'd always fought for freedom, against injustice, against the unfairness of life, but since he'd been with Petra, she was what he fought for now.

Her and their future.

When they pulled slowly apart, Levi rested his forehead on Petra's as he gently stroked her belly.

"Don't come out until I'm home, you hear me?" He frowned at the bump, as if he could will the child to stay put.

"Levi, it's not going to be listening to you like that for a year or two, yet," Petra laughed.

"Hmm, we'll see," he half joked.

Looking back up to his wife, Levi sighed inwardly.

He hated leaving her.

Alas, he had no choice, so, giving her one last kiss, he promised he'd be back soon before heading for the door.

He took one last look back at her, her hands once more on their child and a loving smile on her face.

Yes, he'd be home as quick as he could.


	4. Work It Out

One Shot no.4:

Ok, this one, not necessarily implied, but I imagine it being set years after the last events of my Everything Is On Fire story...

IIIFF things turn out well in the end of it, that is! :) Mwahaha...

... I swear I'll finish E.I.O.F, too, ps! I'm already in the middle of the next chapter!

Sorry to those who have been waiting for it... :(

Enjoy! :)

* * *

Levi could barely stand the suspense. He was never one for patience or beating around the bush, so this was absolute torture.

He was standing with his hand high up on the door frame to the bathroom, watching the slim figure pace the room in front of him.

"Well? What does it say?" Dark eyebrows were pulled down over dark eyes, his right hand gripping his side as they waited.

Golden eyes glanced up to his, then back down to her hands.

The silence seemed to stretch on before Petra bit her bottom lip slightly and walked towards him, still looking at her hands.

Looking up at Levi, Petra raised her eyebrows as she shrugged, not totally sure what to do with the information.

"It's positive."

"Yeah?" Levi quirked his own eyebrows up reaching out to gently take the pregnancy test from Petra's hand.

He tried to ignore the fact that his wife had just peed on it, knowing she'd scold him if he mentioned it.

The little stick held some lines in pink, but in all honesty, Levi had no idea what he was looking at. It wasn't exactly going to say "Hey! Congrats, she's preggers alright. Good job, guy!"

"Well. There you go, that's that," Petra threw her hands up, turning back to sit on the bathtub.

"Petra, we'll figure it out, ok? Don't worry," he tried to reassure her.

"Ugh," she groaned, then gave a tired laugh, "I'd just gotten used to not having nappies to change anymore."

Moving from the doorway, Levi went and sat beside his wife on the bath. Rubbing his hand across her lower back, he couldn't help but feel sorry for her. She'd really suffered with their first pregnancy.

"We'll think of something. But don't forget what we'll be getting out of this," he said softly, looking at her soft, golden-red veiled features.

"I know. I am happy, I swear," she smiled at him, rubbing his leg reassuringly. "I love being a mother. Farlan is the best thing that's happened to me apart from you... I just can't help but feel that.."

When she tailed off and didn't continue, Levi uttered her name and gave her a look that meant not to hold back from him. They had an agreement to be as open and honest with each other as they could. It meant there were no nasty surprises or secrets along the way.

"Ok, don't think I'm a horrible person, but... I can't help but feel that if - well, for sure now - I'm pregnant again, that.. that's it. I'll have missed my chance and I'll never get to do what I always wanted," she gave a groan at the end and buried her head in her hands, glimpsing at a quiet Levi through her fingers. "I know, I'm awful for thinking that."

"Petra. Look at me," Levi took her delicate hands in his work worn ones, waiting for her to sit up and turn her eyes to him before continuing.

"You're not awful. I can completely understand what you mean, but having this baby isn't going to hold you back from this. It's your dream and I'm going to make sure you get it. You've worked too hard. I'll see about taking a shift or two less at least every second week maybe, depending on money, and that will give you more time. We can do this. I never thought I'd have a family, let alone be going onto baby number two. I'll do anything to make this work."

Levi was looking at her with such love and devotion that Petra felt such an overwhelming surge of pride, gratitude and love for him that it made her eyes water.

"How did I get to marry such an amazing man?" She whispered, shaking her head in wonderment at him.

"You lucked out," he said in a dead serious tone and she elbowed him playfully, making him smile down at her as she laughed at the floor.

She gazed back up at him, a soft smile still paying on her lips.

"Baby number two... Who'd have thought?"

"Who'd have thought," Levi repeated in agreement before bringing his hand to Petra's cheek and caressing his thumb across her soft skin.

Leaning in to kiss his wife, he brushed the tip of his nose across the very top of her upper lip before feathering his lips to hers.

Petra smiled even more as she closed her eyes in blissful satisfaction and leant into the strong embrace of her husband, her hand wrapping under and around the back of his shoulder.

There in the privacy of their bathroom, the couple sat and shared a quiet moment of peace and celebration at the news of their second child.

* * *

Ps I realise I've done a couple of pregnant stories... Don't know why, I only did this one last night and the other one months ago! :/ it's just something I wish they could experience, I guess!


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